TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Approves Rules to Prevent Cramming

The Federal Communications Commission voted on Friday to enact rules aimed at preventing so-called cramming, when consumers are hit with unauthorized charges on their phone bills.

"To protect consumers, we need to do two things: help them recognize when these charges show up on their bills, and we need to prevent those charges from showing up in the first place," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said at the commission's open meeting.

The rules, which were proposed nearly a year ago, would give consumers information on how to block the fees and file a complaint. It would also require phone companies to place third-party charges in a separate section on bills.

For now the rules only apply to landline phone companies, but the FCC said it is monitoring complaints about wireless providers.